Sinquerim church tower hit by lightning, crumbles

CALANGUTE: Part of a tower of the historic St Lawrence church, located atop the Sinquerim-Aguada hillock, collapsed after lightning hit it on Saturday night.
“One of the towers on the side of the church collapsed,” a church committee member Lawrence Silveira said, adding that a part of the roof was also damaged as the tower collapsed on the Mangalore tiles. “Some of the debris fell inside the church damaging electrical fixtures,” he added.
No one was present in the church during the incident which occurred around 9.10pm when thundershowers and lightning swept the area for a brief while. Parish priest Fr Agnelo Fernandes was having dinner in the residential quarters behind the church when the incident occurred. “I was having dinner when we suddenly heard a loud sound, like a blast, and realised something had hit the church. I sent one of our staff to see what had happened and when he came back, he informed us that one of the towers had collapsed,” Fernandes said. “Immediately, I informed the fabrica (church committee) and within 10 minutes they came to the church.”
Stating that it is difficult to estimate the exact damage monetarily, he said the damaged portion has been covered to prevent rainwater from entering the church. Fernandes said this is the second time in his living memory that such an incident has occurred. “In 2005-06, a similar incident had happened and lightning had struck the same tower, damaging it,” he said.
Built during the Portuguese era in 1630 at a scenic spot alongside Fort Aguada overlooking the mouth of the Mandovi river, it is known as ‘Sao Lourenco Igreja em Sinquerim’. The annual feast, celebrated on August 10, marks the opening of the navigation channel of the Mandovi river.
Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has installed additional lightning protection systems in the centuries-old monuments at the world heritage complex of Old Goa as an extra shield in severe weather.